1983 Holy Cross Crusaders football team

1983 Holy Cross Crusaders football
NCAA Division I-AA Quarterfinal, L 21–28 vs. Western Carolina
Conference	Independent
Record	9–2–1
Head coach	Rick E. Carter (3rd season)
Defensive coordinator	Mark Duffner (3rd season)
Captains	Harry Flaherty Matt Martin Rob Porter
Home stadium	Fitton Field

1983 NCAA Division I-AA independents football standings

v t e	Conf							Overall
Team	W		L		T			W		L		T
No. 3 Holy Cross ^			–					9	–	1	–	1
No. 17 Tennessee State			–					8	–	2	–	1
No. 7 Colgate ^			–					8	–	3	–	0
Lehigh			–					8	–	3	–	0
Lafayette			–					6	–	4	–	0
Northeastern			–					6	–	4	–	1
Southeastern Louisiana			–					6	–	5	–	0
William & Mary			–					6	–	5	–	0
Nicholls State			–					5	–	6	–	0
Bucknell			–					4	–	5	–	1
Delaware			–					4	–	7	–	0
Northwestern State			–					4	–	7	–	0
James Madison			–					3	–	8	–	0
Richmond			–					3	–	8	–	0
Western Kentucky			–					2	–	8	–	1
^ – NCAA Division I-AA playoff participant Rankings from NCAA Division I-AA Football Committee poll

The 1983 Holy Cross Crusaders football team was an American football team that represented the College of the Holy Cross as an independent during the 1983 NCAA Division I-AA football season. The Crusaders ranked No. 3 nationally but lost in the quarterfinals of the Division I-AA playoff.

In their third year under head coach Rick E. Carter, the Crusaders compiled a 9–2–1 record (9–1–1 regular season). Harry Flaherty, Matt Martin and Rob Porter were the team captains.^[1]

An eight-game winning streak to open the campaign saw Holy Cross steadily climb in the weekly national rankings, reaching No. 1 in time for their last regular-season game. After suffering their first loss of the year in that season-ender—to Division I-A Boston College, in a game played at the New England Patriots' home stadium—the Crusaders dropped to No. 3 in the Division I-AA rankings, and earned a playoff first-round bye before being eliminated in the second round.

Holy Cross played its home games, including its first-ever home playoff game, at Fitton Field on the college campus in Worcester, Massachusetts.

Schedule

Date	Opponent	Rank	Site	Result	Attendance	Source
September 10	Boston University		Fitton Field Worcester, MA	W 14–3	15,231	[2]
September 17	at UMass		Alumni Stadium Hadley, MA	W 17–0	13,591	[3]
September 24	at New Hampshire	No. 12	Cowell Stadium Durham, NH	W 42–30	10,000	[4]
October 1	at Dartmouth	No. 9	Memorial Field Hanover, NH	W 41–14	10,753	[5]
October 8	No. 2 Colgate	No. 6	Fitton Field Worcester, MA	W 21–18	21,551	[6]
October 15	at Connecticut	No. 4	Memorial Stadium Storrs, CT	W 20–16	13,090	[7]
October 22	Brown^	No. 4	Fitton Field Worcester, MA	W 31–10	16,004	[8]
October 29	Columbia	No. 2	Fitton Field Worcester, MA	W 77–28	12,861	[9]
November 5	at Harvard	No. 2	Harvard Stadium Boston, MA	T 10–10	8,000	[10]
November 12	at Delaware	No. 3	Delaware Stadium Newark, DE	W 24–0	16,432	[11]
November 19	vs. Boston College	No. 1	Sullivan Stadium Foxborough, MA (rivalry)	L 7–47	38,512	[12]
December 3	No. 9 Western Carolina	No. 3	Fitton Field Worcester, MA (NCAA Division I-AA Quarterfinal)	L 21–28	10,814	[13]
Homecoming ^ Family Weekend Rankings from the latest NCAA Division I-AA poll released prior to the game

References

1. "2019 Holy Cross Football Fact Book" (PDF). Worcester, Mass.: College of the Holy Cross. p. 124. Retrieved June 15, 2020.
2. MacMullan, Jackie (September 11, 1983). "Fenerty, HC Befuddle BU". Boston Sunday Globe. Boston, Mass. p. 71 – via Newspapers.com.
3. Monahan, Bob (September 18, 1983). "Holy Cross Defense Nails UMass". Boston Sunday Globe. Boston, Mass. p. 62 – via Newspapers.com.
4. Monahan, Bob (September 25, 1983). "Holy Cross Hits Stride, Routs UNH". Boston Sunday Globe. Boston, Mass. p. 60 – via Newspapers.com.
5. Roberts, Ernie (October 2, 1983). "Dartmouth Is No Match for Holy Cross". Boston Sunday Globe. Boston, Mass. p. 56 – via Newspapers.com.
6. Duffy, Bob (October 9, 1983). "HC Understudy Overrules Colgate". Boston Sunday Globe. Boston, Mass. p. 54 – via Newspapers.com.
7. Anderson, Woody (October 16, 1983). "Crusaders Cross UConn with Late Scoring Pass". The Hartford Courant. Hartford, Conn. pp. D13, D15 – via Newspapers.com.
8. Craig, Jack (October 23, 1983). "Heffernan Relieves Holy Cross". Boston Sunday Globe. Boston, Mass. p. 62 – via Newspapers.com.
9. Craig, Jack (October 30, 1983). "HC Stampedes to 77-28 Romp". Boston Sunday Globe. Boston, Mass. p. 56 – via Newspapers.com.
10. Concannon, Joe (November 6, 1983). "Harvard Ties HC, 10-10". Boston Sunday Globe. Boston, Mass. p. 54 – via Newspapers.com.
11. Simmons, Bill (November 13, 1983). "Holy Cross' 24-0 Win Ensures Losing Season for Delaware". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Philadelphia, Pa. pp. 13-G, 16-G – via Newspapers.com.
12. May, Peter (November 20, 1983). "BC Pounds Holy Cross, Expects New Bowl Foe". The Hartford Courant. Hartford, Conn. pp. D12, D16 – via Newspapers.com.
13. Thomsen, Ian (December 4, 1983). "BU and Holy Cross End Up by Losing Out; W. Carolina Soars, 28-21". Boston Sunday Globe. Boston, Mass. p. 89 – via Newspapers.com.